At lovemybooks we believe the choice of books for young children really matters. There are so many books published for children every year, the range available can be quite overwhelming. By introducing children to good quality, engaging books they are much more likely to see books and reading as interesting and fun.

Each book we have included has been chosen with care. Here are some of our reasons, though not all of these apply to every book.

The book is:

interesting and meaningful, encouraging children to want to read on and find out what happens next

well-written and good to read aloud

well-illustrated with lots to talk about in the pictures as well as the story

about characters children will be interested in and want to talk about

about themes which are important to children such as making friends or feeling scared

linked to a topic of interest to children

patterned, with a rhythm, repeated phrases or a clear sequence of events to encourage children to join in with the story

inspiring, sparking children’s imagination and their curiosity about the world

memorable for the quality of the language, content, illustrations or format.

The books, including those in our novels section are intended for sharing rather than children’s independent reading. It is always advisable to read books yourself before sharing with your child. This will help you read the story aloud with more confidence and know when might be a good point to pause to talk about the story or pictures.